Improvement in coating- iron for the fronts of buildings



t nt fl ili w taint swat.

"JOHN ALEXANDER, oreassnromr, NEWYYOYRK.

Letters Patent No. 95,064, dated September 21,- 1869.

IMPROVEMEN'I m COATING IRON run was: rigours or BUILDING-S, AND ironOTHER PURPOSES. I

The Schedule referred. to in these Letters llPatent and making part ofthe same.

To all whomit, may concern Be it known that I, J 013m ALEXANDER,ironfounder," of Greenpoint, in-the' county of Kings, in the State ofNew York, haveinvented certain new and useful "Improvementsin'Ooating,or Preparing Iron, intended more particularly for the fronts ofbuildings; -nd I do hereby declare that the following is a full andexact description thereof.

' I will first describe what I considerjthe best means of carrying outmy invention, and .will' afterward designate the points which I' believeto be new; I will describe my invention as applied to'broad,'thin platesof cast-iron, adapted to serve in imitation of the common large blocksof brown-stone ordinarily used in building. It will be understood,however, that the same mode of surfacing may be applied to ornamentalcastings adapted for window-caps, cornices, &c., as also to irou rolledinto sheets and otherwise, prepared previous to the application of mysurfacing.

I stir into. good japan varnish about half its weight of the fineearth-coloredpowder known as Princes metallic paint. 'lhis proportion ofingredients gives 1 a slightly pasty or semi-flnidoonsi'stence to themass:

A greater proportion of earthy material may be used with good efi'ect,but it increases the difficulty of applying it.

I take the casting, previously formed to the right contour, and shapedat the edges by planing or otherwise, and providedwith the lugs,flanges, or other appliances for securing them together, or to otherparts, and apply the preparation by means of apaintersbrush, or othersuitable device, in a thin coating.

I have not found it necessary to prepare the surface of the ironby-biting it with acid or any analogous 'process. If the castingis madewith ordinary skill,

and is vigorously brushed with a wire brnshpto remove the looseparticles, it is ready to receive my coating.

Having thus coated the surface with the semi-fluid and adhesive mixtureabove described, I next dust upon it, with acommon dredger, or othersuitable appliance, a quantity of powdered brown-stone. The particlesattach themselves firmlyby partially embedding themselves in theadhesive coating. I apply as much as will stick, and in order tobecertain thatsuflicient is applied, I prefer-to cover the whole surfacewith a thick layer, which may be one quarter of an inch or more inthickness, of the stonygrains. I then .bake the plate, with itscovering, in a japanoven, at'a. temperature of 300 Fahrenheit, keepingit int-he oven about'twenty-four hours, allowing the On removing theplates I.

beat gradually to decline. shake off theloose particles,.i1nd then brushthe surface with a wire-brush, in order to better prepare the surfaceand also to economize the particles thus removed'for a subsequentoperation. The plate is now finished and ,ready to be used'ina building.

The gritty particles thus'applied may be made by pulverizing the chipsor waste pieces of good brownstone, the pulverizing being effected in 'aGhilian mill or other mechanical device. It is desirablethat theparticles be of a tolerably even size, and neither too fine nor toocoarse.- Ooimnon brown-stone breaks of itself under apestle intoparticles of about the right size. Instead of taking theltrouble to thuspulverize stone I can use any sand or mixtures of sand of a' suitablecolor; .but where the color is too light I can modify by employingPrinces metallic paint, or anal? ogous earthy material, mingled with thesand in the proportions required. If the fine paint is used alone thecolor is too red.

. Other very fine paint or oxide of iron may be used 1 as the thickeniugmaterial in the japan varnish with some effect, but-I esteem Princespaint prcferableto any which I haveexperimented with.

I have, by the use of several materials. applied as above described,succeeded in .inaking what is considered in the trade as a verysuccessful, strong, and probably durable imitation of rich brown-stonewhich fashion and good taste now 'call for in first-classresldences.

I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters 'Patent 7 Thewithin-described imitation brown-stone, having a foundation of} iron anda coatingof stony particles bedded in a layer of semi-fluid material,and permanently affixed .to the iron by baking, all substantially as andfor the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my name, in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOHN ALEXANDER.

Witnesses: v p

O. O. Lwmcs, \V. O. DEY.

